diff --git a/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_common_posix.c b/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_common_posix.c
index e2dfe398401105c56a5eb47b4b9f16e3fae20a96..f4a2d60c2f64aad1e8c18c6ad3de103488ae210d 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_common_posix.c
+++ b/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_common_posix.c
@@ -117,14 +117,18 @@ grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_ipv6_recvpktinfo_if_possible(int fd) {
   return GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
 }
 
-int grpc_set_socket_sndbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes) {
+grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_sndbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes) {
   return 0 == setsockopt(fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF, &buffer_size_bytes,
-                         sizeof(buffer_size_bytes));
+                         sizeof(buffer_size_bytes))
+             ? GRPC_ERROR_NONE
+             : GRPC_OS_ERROR(errno, "setsockopt(SO_SNDBUF)");
 }
 
-int grpc_set_socket_rcvbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes) {
+grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_rcvbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes) {
   return 0 == setsockopt(fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF, &buffer_size_bytes,
-                         sizeof(buffer_size_bytes));
+                         sizeof(buffer_size_bytes))
+             ? GRPC_ERROR_NONE
+             : GRPC_OS_ERROR(errno, "setsockopt(SO_RCVBUF)");
 }
 
 /* set a socket to close on exec */
diff --git a/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_posix.h b/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_posix.h
index 4cbfc342e4e97378c13926a0b24bf2b1e419b322..30ff39dfa3f5899de5fa53b78fb6ff20c6d0dbb1 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_posix.h
+++ b/src/core/lib/iomgr/socket_utils_posix.h
@@ -66,27 +66,22 @@ grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_low_latency(int fd, int low_latency);
 int grpc_ipv6_loopback_available(void);
 
 /* Tries to set SO_NOSIGPIPE if available on this platform.
-   Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure.
    If SO_NO_SIGPIPE is not available, returns 1. */
 grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_no_sigpipe_if_possible(int fd);
 
 /* Tries to set IP_PKTINFO if available on this platform.
-   Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure.
    If IP_PKTINFO is not available, returns 1. */
 grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_ip_pktinfo_if_possible(int fd);
 
 /* Tries to set IPV6_RECVPKTINFO if available on this platform.
-   Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure.
    If IPV6_RECVPKTINFO is not available, returns 1. */
 grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_ipv6_recvpktinfo_if_possible(int fd);
 
-/* Tries to set the socket's send buffer to given size.
-   Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure. */
-int grpc_set_socket_sndbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes);
+/* Tries to set the socket's send buffer to given size. */
+grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_sndbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes);
 
-/* Tries to set the socket's receive buffer to given size.
-   Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure. */
-int grpc_set_socket_rcvbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes);
+/* Tries to set the socket's receive buffer to given size. */
+grpc_error *grpc_set_socket_rcvbuf(int fd, int buffer_size_bytes);
 
 /* An enum to keep track of IPv4/IPv6 socket modes.